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INAUGURAL    ADDRESS 


SAMUEL  ABBOTT  GR 

MA  YOU    OF    BOSTON, 


TOliKTHCK    WITH    TUB    ADDRESS   Ot 


PRESIDENT    OK    THE    COMMON   COUNCIL, 


.IANTARY    2,    1882. 


BOSTON : 
ROCKWELL    AND    CHURCHILL,    CITY     I'KINTKKS. 

No.    39    ARCH    STREET. 

1  s  ,s  -i  . 


UCSB  LIBRARY 


THE 


INAUGURAL    ADDRESS 


SAMUEL  ABBOTT  GREEN, 

MAYOR    OF    BOSTON, 

TO    THE 

CITY     COUNCIL, 

JANUARY  2,  1882. 


B  O  S  T  O  X  : 
ROCKWELL   AND    CHURCHILL,    CITY    PRINTERS, 

No.    39   ARCH    STREET. 
1882. 


CITY   OF  BOSTON. 


Ix  COMMON  COUNCIL,  January  2,  1882. 

Ordered,  That  His  Honor  the  Mayor  be  requested  to 
furnish  a  copy  of  his  Address,  that  the  same  may  be 
printed. 

Passed.       Sent    up   for  concurrence. 

W.   P.   GREGG, 

Clerk   of  the    Common    Council. 

IN   BOAUD   OF   ALDEUMEN,  January  10,  18>_. 
Parsed    in   concurrence. 

S.    F.    McCLEAliV. 

(Jit >j    Ckrk. 


tiS§SLy««S 


ADDRESS. 


Gentlemen  of  the  City  Council:  — 

A  new  Municipal  Government  is  about  to  enter 
on  its  duties,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  long 
usage  on  such  occasions,  the  Mayor  delivers  an 
inaugural  address.  Of  late  years  it  has  been  his 
custom  to  lay  before  the  convention  of  the  Board 
of  Aldermen  and  the  Common  Council  such  sug- 
gestions and  recommendations  as  he  may  see  fit 
to  make,  besides  giving  the  more  important  items 
from  the  reports  of  the  several  heads  of  depart- 
ments. 

AVith  no  intention  to  criticise  the  custom,  it 
has  seemed  more  in  harmony  with  my  own  feel- 
ings to  confine  this  address  to  the  brief  statement 
of  a  few  topics.  I  do  this  the  more  readily,  as, 
my  predecessor  in  office  has  so  lately  given  an 
able  review  of  the  prominent  features  of  a  long 
administration;  and  in  it  he  covers  part  of  the 
ground  which  will  soon  claim  our  attention.  Be- 
sides this,  in  an  address  before  the  last  Board  of 
Aldermen,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  the  Chairman 
has  clearly  set  forth  some  matters  having  a  close 


6  MAYOR'S     ADDRESS. 

connection  with  the  business  that  will  be  brought 
before  us.  Both  of  these  addresses  are  founded 
on  long  experience  in  municipal  affairs,  and  con- 
tain much  that  is  worthy  of  your  attention.  They 
will  soon  be  printed  and  within  the  reach  of  every 
member  of  the  City  Government.  Furthermore, 
the  annual  reports  of  the  various  chiefs  of  depart- 
ments will  appear  at  an  early  day,  and  be  freely 
distributed. 

These  reports  are  drawn  up  with  much 
care  and  fulness,  and  give,  with  all  the  accu- 
racy of  official  authority,  the  details  of  the 
internal  aifairs  of  the  city.  Any  suggestions  and 
recommendations  that  I  might  make  would  neces- 
sarily be  based  largely  on  the  statement  of  others, 
and  I  am  reluctant  to  publish  opinions  taken  at 
second  hand,  as  my  own  deliberate  convictions. 
Henceforth  it  will  be  my  duty  to  become  informed 
on  these  very  points,  and,  in  the  language  of  the 
charter,  "to  communicate  to  both  branches  of  the 
City  Council  all  such  information,  and  recommend 
all  such  measures  as  may  tend  to  the  improvement 
of  the  finances,  the  police,  health,  security,  cleanli- 
ness, comfort,  and  ornament  of  the  said  city." 

The  condition  of  the  city  finances  is  of  so 
much  general  interest  that  I  enter  at  once  upon 
it.-  consideration.  It  is  a  subject  of  prime  impor- 


MAYOR'S     AD  DRESS.  7 

tance  to  the  citizens  of  all  classes.  It  fixes  the 
rate  of  taxation  and,  in  every  household,  aifects 
the  cost  of  living.  The  report  of  the  Auditor 
of  Accounts  does  not  appear  for  several  months 
to  come,  and  for  this  reason  I  give,  in  some 
detail,  a  statement  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the 
city  as  they  stood  on  December  31,  1881;  though 
it  does  not  include  the  large  amounts  recently 
appropriated  by  the  votes  of  the  City  Council 
for  public  parks. 

CITY    DEBT. 

Gross  debt,  December  31,  1880 
Add  permanent  debt  issued  in  1881     . 
Temporary  debt  of  1882 


$41,226,750  60 
Deduct  debt  paid  during  1881     ....        1,208,152  58 


Gross  debt,  December  31,  1881  .         .         .         .    $40,018,59802 
Sinking  Funds,  Dec.  31,  188)     .  $13,938,402  07 
Receipts  during  1881  .         .      2,326,921  07 


$16,265,323  14 
Payments  during  1881         .         .      1,209,257  41 


815,056,065  73 

Bonds  and  mortgages,  the  pay- 
ments on  which  are  pledged  to 
the  payment  of  debt  .  .  714,485  69 


Total  redemption  means,  December  31,  1881        .       15,770,551  42 
Net  debt,  December  31,  1881      .         .  .    82-l.2-ls.o4G  60 


8  MAYOR'S    ADDRESS. 

Gross  debt,  December  31,  1880.         .         .         .    $41,103,75060 
31,  1881  ....      40,018,598  02 


Decrease $1,085,152  08 

Net  debt,  December  31,  1880     ....    $26,658,45641 
"     "  "  31,1881     .         .  .      24,248,04660 


Decrease     .  .  .         .      $2,410,409  81 


City  debt,  including  balances  of  debt  assumed  by 

acts  of   annexation $27,260,324  04 

Cochituate  Water  debt 11,631,27398 

Mystic  Water  debt 1,127,00000 


$40,018,598  02 

Loans  authorized  but  not  issued  — 
By  City  Council  of  1877. 

For  improved  sewerage $981,000  00 

By  City  Council  of  1881. 

For  additional  supply  of  water       .  $324,00000 

Widening  Portland  street        .  300,000  00 

"         South  street    .         .  185,000  00 

"        Kneeland  street       .  180,000  00 

West  Roxbury  Park        .         .  600,000  00 

City  Point                         .         .  100,000  00 

East  Boston         "          .         .  50,000  00 

Charles  river  embankment       .  300,000  00 

Muddy  river  improvement       .  200,000  00 

Arnold  Arboretum .         .         .  60,000  00 

Additional  land,  Public  Library,  150,000  00 


2,449,000  00 
$3,430,000  00 


M  A  YOR'S     ADDRESS.  9 

By  the  action  of  the  City  Council  at  the  end 
of  last  year,  Boston  is  committed  to  a  system, 
of  public  parks.  During  several  years  the  sub- 
ject has  been  thoroughly  discussed,  both  in  public 
and  in  private,  and  the  only  argument  urged 
against  it  was  the  cost.  Nearly  every  large  city 
in  this  country  or  in  Europe  has  its  park,  or 
series  of  parks,  and  Boston  will  soon  stand  abreaM 
of  them.  There  are  many  sanitary  reasons  in 
favor  of  the  system,  and  whatever  favors  sound 
health  leads  to  good  morals.  Tending  in  the  same 
direction  are  other  arguments  which  I  will  not 
specify.  If  we  have  the  needful  means,  it  is 
enough  for  us  to  know  that  such  improvements 
are  demanded  by  the  public.  At  the  same  time 
the  tax-payers  have  a  right  to  hold  their  servants 
to  a  strict  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
appropriations  for  the  object  are  spent.  I  am 
fully  aware  that  this  action  of  the  la>t  City 
Counc.il  does  not  closely  concern  us  now,  but  a 
caution  in  regard  to  the  expenditure  of  money 
is  always  timely.  Fortunately  nature  has  done  so 
much  for  this  wide-spread  territory  that  there  is 
little  need  of  a  great  outlay  at  once,  and  the 
more  expensive  improvements  can  be  put  oil*  with- 
out detriment  to  the  public  interests.  By  the 
terms  of  the  vote  authorizing  the  establishment 


10  M  A  Y  O  R  '  S     A  I)  1)  R  K  S  S  . 

of  the  parks,  the  land  will  be  placed  under  the 
charge  of  the  Park  Commissioners;  and  the  city 
may  well  congratulate  itself  that  it  has  three 
citizens  who  enjoy  the  entire  confidence  of  the 
community,  and,  at  the  same  time,  are  willing, 
without  salary,  to  assume  the  care  and  responsi- 
bility of  this  high  trust.  I  have  referred  to  the 
matter  because  other  appropriations  will  be  required 
for  this  object,  and  during  a  period  when  large 
sums  of  money  are  voted  for  public  purposes 
there  is  a  tendency  to  grow  careless  of  the 
economical  use  of  it.  The  average  mind  becomes 
accustomed  to  unusual  amounts,  and  money  i> 
often  spent  without  due  foresight. 

It  may  be  well  to  remind  you  that,  in  the  course 
of  a  few  years,  a  large  part  of  the  Franklin  Fund 
will  be  available  by  the  city  for  a  purpose  kindred 
to  public  parks.  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin  died  in 
the  year  1790,  bequeathing  to  his  native  town  of 
Boston  one  thousand  pounds,  to  be  lent  to  young 
married  artificers,  upon  certain  conditions;  and  he 
expected  that  this  sum,  in  one  hundred  years, 
would  increase  to  a  very  large  amount.  It  was 
his  wish,  as  expressed  in  his  will,  that,  at  the  end 
of  this  time,  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  should 
be  spent  upon  "public  works  which  may  be  judged 
of  most  general  utility  to  the  inhabitants,  such 


M  A  Y  O  R '  S     A  D  D  R  E  S  S .  11 

as  fortifications,  bridges,  aqueducts,  public  build- 
ings, baths,  pavements,  or  whatever  may  make 
living  in  the  town  more  convenient  to  its  people, 
and  render  it  more  agreeable  to  strangers  resort- 
ing thither  for  health  or  a  temporary  residence." 
Applying  this  money  toward  the  embellishment 
of  Boston,  under  certain  conditions,  would  certainly 
be  in  accordance  with  the  expressed  desire  of 
Franklin,  and  would  leave  the  way  clear  to  give 
the  name  of  the  great  printer,  philosopher,  and 
statesman  to  one  of  the  new  parks.  In  no  other 
way  could  the  bequest  be  made  to  subserve  so 
well  the  convenience  of  the  whole  people. 

Your  attention  is  earnestly  called  to  the  public 
schools.  Xo  subject  will  be  brought  to  your 
notice,  of  greater  interest  to  the  citizens,  or  of 
more  vital  importance.  Education  is  the  very  bul- 
wark of  our  political  liberties.  There  is  no  power 
so  actively  at  work  in  welding  together  the 
tastes,  instincts  and  feelings  of  the  whole  people, 
without  regard  to  social  distinctions,  as  our  system 
of  public  instruction;  and  with  the  growth  of  our 
city  in  population  and  material  prosperity,  it 
becomes  a  matter  of  increasing  importance  to 
cherish  every  institution  which  shall  tend  to  en- 
large the  interests  and  sympathies  common  to  the 
entire  community.  Through  her  whole  history 


12  MAYOR'S     ADDRESS. 

Boston  has  been  liberal  toward  her  schools,  and 
the  tax-payers  are  always  willing  that  the  neces- 
sary appropriations  should  be  made  in  order  to 
support  them. 

According  to  the  school  census  of  May  last 
the  number  of  children  in  the  city,  between  five 
and  fifteen  years  of  age,  was  sixty-one  thousand 
and  fifty-six;  and  of  this  number  forty-seven 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-two  were 
taught  in  the  public  schools,  and  six  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  twenty-two  in  private  schools. 
In  Jnne  last  the  following  schools  were  sup- 
ported by  the  city:  —  one  Normal,  ten  Latin  and 
High,  fifty  Grammar  and  four  hundred  and  eigh- 
teen Primary  schools.  Besides  these  there  were 
what  are  termed  the  special  schools,  comprising 
an  evening  high  school,  a  school  for  deaf-mutes, 
two  schools  for  licensed  minors,  six  evening; 

7  O 

drawing  schools,  and  seventeen  evening  schools. 
The  average  number  of  pupils  attending  these 
special  classes  was  three  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-three.  These  different  schools, 
general  and  special,  required  a  force  of  twelve 
hundred  and  seventy-six  teachers,  of  whom  one 
hundred  and  ninety-eight  were  men,  and  one 
thousand  and  seventy-eight  were  women. 

The   appropriations    made   by   the    City   Council 


MAYOR'SADDBESS.  13 

for  public  schools  during  the  present  financial 
year  amounted  to  $1,415,760.  The  expenditure 
of  the  year,  thus  far,  as  compared  with  that  of 
the  corresponding  nine  months  of  last  year,  shows 
a  decrease  of  $18,608.34.  It  is  a  gratifying  fact 
to  note  that  the  expenses  of  the  schools  of  late 
have  been  steadily  decreasing,  although  the  num- 
ber of  pupils  has  increased  at  the  rate  of  over  one 
thousand  each  year. 

A  fit  supplement  to  the  question  of  schools  is 
the  Public  Library,  and  I  would  earnestly  bespeak 
your  careful  attention  to  its  needs.  It  is  to-day 
the  largest  library  in  the  country,  and  its  use 
increases  with  its  growth.  Our  system  of  public 
education  culminates  wisely  in  an  institution  of 
this  kind. 

There  are  various  other  subjects  connected  with 
the  municipal  government,  which  I  omit  to  men- 
tion; though  it  is  not  because  I  fail  to  appreciate 
their  importance.  In  the  natural  course  of  official 
duties  your  •  attention  will  soon  be  called  to  them, 
and  they  will  receive,  I  doubt  not,  your  careful 
consideration. 

Gentlemen  of  the  City  Council:  —  Our  work 
is  now  begun.  Let  us  show  by  cur  actions,  rather 
than  by  our  words,  that  we  appreciate  the  high 


14  MAYOR'S     ADDRESS. 

responsibility  resting  on  us.  Let  us  do  our  duty 
without  regard  to  party  or  faction,  and  with 
sole  reference  to  the  good  of  the  city.  If  we 
enter  upon  our  labors  in  this  spirit,  we  may  well 
leave  the  result  to  a  kind  Providence. 


ADDRESS 


CHARLES   E.  PRATT, 


P  R  E  S  I  D  E  X  T, 


COMMON    COUNCIL, 


JANUARY  2,  1882. 


BOSTON: 
ROCKWELL  AND   CHURCHILL,   CITY  PRINTERS, 

No.    39    ARCH    STREET. 

1882. 


CITY   OF  BOSTON. 


IN  COMMON  COUNCIL,  January  12,  1882. 
On   motion   of  Mr.  Smith,  — 

Ordered,  That  the  President  of  the  Common  Council 
be  requested  to  furnish  a  copy  of  his  address,  to  be 
printed  with  the  address  of  His  Honor  the  Mayor. 

Attest : 

W.  P.  GKEGG, 

Clerk  of  the    Common    Council. 


ADDRESS. 


Gentlemen  of  the  Common  Council:  — 

On  taking*  the  chair  to  which  your  unanimous 
vote  has  just  elected  me,  as  fortieth  President 
of  the  Common  Council  of  the  City  of  Boston, 
and  for  the  sixty-first  term  of  that  office,  I  am 
impressed  with  the  dignity  of  the  body  over 
which  I  am  to  preside,  and  the  gravity  of  the 
duties  we  are  all  here  to  perform. 

The  magnitude  of  the  interests  of  the  City  of 
Boston  is  such  as  to  require  a  considerable 
knowledge  and  familiarity  with  them  to  enable 
one  to  appreciate  it.  In  the  sixty  years  since 
the  granting  of  our  municipal  charter,  the  popu- 
lation of  the  city  has  increased  from  about 
44,000  (or,  including  the  districts  which  have 
since  been  annexed,  from  about  59,000)  to  about 
363,000  inhabitants.  The  total  valuation  of  prop- 
erty within  the  city  limits,  and  directly  affect  CM! 
by  our  legislation,  is  about  $749,000,000.  The 
city  assets  are  about  (56,000,000,  and  the  annual 
tax  levy  is  about  $9,000,000.  So  vast  are  the 
figures;  the  number  of  departments  and  the 


6  PRESIDENT    PRATT'S    ADDRESS. 

variety    of   details    of   management   are    of   corre- 
sponding  magnitude. 

We  are  here,  seventy-two  of  us,  as  directors 
of  this  immense  corporation;  each  one  of  us  rep- 
resenting, were  our  responsibility  divided,  more 
than  5,000  of  the  stockholders,  and  more  than 
$10,000,000  of  the  capital  stock.  It  is  true  that 
,  we  share  this  responsibility  with  the  other  branch 
of  the  city  government;  but,  since  in  all  graver 
things,  and  especially  in  the  aggregates  of  ex- 
penditure, our  action  must  be  either  original  or 
concurrent,  we  cannot,  except  in  some  matters 
of  administration,  avoid  the  directness  of  this  re- 
sponsibility. 

The  honorable  roll  of  those  who  have  preceded 
us  in  office  during  the  past  sixty  years  may  also 
impress  us  with  the  necessity  of  faithful,  diligent, 
earnest  attention  to  our  duties,  if  we  would  earn 
and  perpetuate,  as  they  have,  positions  and  repu- 
tations for  honest,  efficient  stewardship. 

It  has  sometimes,  of  late  years,  been  remarked 
that  the  affairs  of  the  City  of  Boston  should  be 
conducted  upon  business  principles,  —  that  mem- 
bers of  the  City  Government  should  transact 
city  business  as  they  would  their  own.  I  think 
you  will  follow  me  in  going  a  step  further,  and 
saying  we  are  not  free  even  to  transact  city 


PRESIDENT     PRATT'S    AI>I)RI->-.  7 

affairs  quite  as  venturesomely  as  we  would  our 
own;  but  we  are  to  look  after  its  concerns, 
apportion  the  ever  heavy  annual  assessment,  and 
attend  to  the  expenditure  of  revenue,  as  if  we 
were  trustees,  and  with  the  same  degree  of  pru- 
dence and  conservatism  as  we  should  observe  in 
handling-  trust  funds. 

To  provide  prudently  for  current  city  expenses; 
to  continue  improvements  already  begun,  and 
wisely  to  devise  whatever  may  be  practicable  for 
the  increase  of  the  mercantile,  commercial,  and 
manufacturing  advantages  of  the  city,  and  render 
it  more  beautiful  as  a  place  of  residence;  to  see 
that  the  affairs  of  the  city  are  administered  with 
efficiency  and  economy;  to  diminish  the  public 
debt;  to  reduce  or  to  keep  within  reasonable 
limit  the  rate  of  taxation;  to  protect  and  brighten 
the  fair  fame  of  the  city,  —  these  are  the  objects 
for  the  accomplishment  of  which  we  have  been 
elected.  These  are  the  duties  to  which  we  addi 
ourselves  on  this  day  of  inauguration. 

Of    the     matters     likely     to    claim     the    especial 
attention    of    this    Citv    Council,    I     shall    not    at- 

» 

tempt   to  speak  seriatim,  because.-  nearly  two-thirdfl 

of    you    have    had  previous  experience  hen-,   and- a 

familiarity  with  them  perhaps  greater  than  my  own. 

That     so    large     a     proportion    of    your    number 


8  PRESIDENT    PRATT'S    ADDRESS. 

have  served  here  before  is  a  matter  for  congratu- 
lation both  to  you  and  to  the  city.  To  those 
who  enter  to-day  for  the  first  time  upon  munici- 
pal work,  a  few  suggestions  from  me  may  not 
be  out  of  place. 

Important  as  is  punctual  and  assiduous  atten- 
tion to  the  business  of  our  stated  meetings,  it 
will  be  found,  I  think,  by  all  that  the  most 
laborious,'  and  often  the  most  important,  service 
to  the  city  is  rendered  in  committees ;  and  that 
the  satisfactory,  or  even  the  necessary,  understand- 
ing of  the  multitudinous  matters  upon  which  you 
are  to  act  in  council  assembled,  will  require  a 
great  deal  of  patient,  persistent,  and  well-directed 
attention  and  study,  at  other  times  and  in  other 
places.  You  will  learn,  as  the  weeks  go  by,  to 
pay  more  respect  to  committee  work  and  com- 
mittee reports.  You  will  find  that  it  is  impos- 
sible for  one  to  acquaint  himself  with,  and  to 
follow,  all  departments  and  all  projects  of  the 
city  business  ;  although  in  the  several  depart- 
ments to  which  he  may  pay  especial  regard  he 
may  become  expert.  And  so  it  is  that  as  you 
learn  confidence  in  your  fellow-members,  and  be- 

• 

come  aware  of  your  own  inadequate  knowledge, 
you  will  pay  mutual  deference  and  accept  the 
results  of  each  other's  work. 


PRESIDENT    PRATT'S    ADDRESS.  9 

As  to  the  conduct  of  business,  allow  me  to 
make  a  suggestion  or  two.  Directness  rather 
than  eloquence  of  speech  is  effective.  To  allow 
one  who  has  charge  of  a  measure,  as  chairman 
of  a  committee  or  otherwise,  the  benefit  of  the 
presumption  that  he  has  considered  the  matter, 
and  knows  better  how  to  manage  it  than  one 
who  has  had  less  to  do  with  it,  is  good  policy, 
unless  unqualified  opposition  is  intended.  :?Too 
many  cooks  spoil  the  broth "  is  true  in  parlia- 
mentary tactics  as  elsewhere. 

Another  good  rule  is  to  transact  each  day  the 
(lav's  business.  The  custom  that  has  sometimes 
prevailed,  of  passing  over  debatable  matters  for 
the  time,  and  the  parallel  one  of  special  assign- 
ments, do  not  in  my  judgment  conduce  to  the 
better  transaction  of  business  ;  but  they  do  work  the 
consumption  of  time,  the  occurrence  of  late  sessions, 
and  of  other  ill  conditions  of  procrastination. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  suspension  of  the  rules, 
in  order  to  take  up  business  out  of  its  regular 
course,  has  sometimes  been  carried  to  a  degree 
of  excess  which  has  worked  equal  detriment  to 
the  transaction  of  business.  It  is  seldom  that 
with  prompt,  attentive,  and  practical  application 
to  the  business  of  the  day,  the  whole  cannot 
IK-  taken  up  in  its  regular  order,  and  accoin- 


10  PRESIDENT     PKATT'S    ADDKESS. 

plished  without  the  waste  of  time  involved  in 
unnecessary  motions  and  repeated  handling  of 
the  same  papers. 

The  rules  and  orders  of  this  Common  Council, 
and  the  joint  rules  and  orders  of  the  City 
Council,  have  grown  to  be  somewhat  complex 
and  technical.  It  is  the  duty,  not  only  of  your 
presiding  officer,  but  of  all  who>  wish  to  take 
an  intelligent  part  in  the  action  of  the  Council 
on  the  floor,  to  become  familiar  with  their  pro- 
visions, and  to  be  able  at  any  time  and  with  any 
subject,  not  only  to  understand  its  progress  from 
stage  to  stage  and  the  eifect  of  any  vote,  but 
to  be  able  to  direct  "the  progress  of  matters  so 
as  to  expedite  business  and  to  accomplish  the 
object  sought. 

On  one  little  matter  let  us  take  counsel 
together.  Xot  because  the  public  are  looking 
at  us,  but  because  it  is  right,  let  us  carefully 
consider  our  incidental  and  contingent  expendi- 
tures. If,  in  the  discharge  of  official  duty,  we 
are  obliged  to  incur  expense  for  carriages  and 
refreshments,  we  may  follow  the  unwritten  law 
of  the  municipality  by  charging  them  to  the  city; 
and,  so  long  as  they  are  reasonable  and  neces- 
sary, neither  our  constituents  nor  our  consciences 
will  reprove  us  for  the  charges.  But  the  good 


PRESIDENT    PRATT'S    ADDRESS.  H 

Councilman  will  be  scrupulously  careful  in  little 
things  as  well  as  in  large.  He  will  remember 
that  unnecessary  and  unreasonable  indulgence  at 
the  city  expense  is  not  merely  pilfering  —  it  is 
embezzlement.  He  will  bear  in  mind  that  every 
dollar  of  our  appropriations  is  a  compulsory  ex- 
action, and  was  earned  by  the  toil  and  worry  of 
our  fellow-citizens. 

I  make  the  suggestions  rather  to  invite  your 
own  reflection  than  to  attempt  any  complete  pre- 
sentment of  your  duties.  To  comprehend  the 
matters  to  be  dealt  with,  and  then  to  understand 
the  method  of  dealing  with  them,  will  not  only 
invite,  but  will  repay,  your  earnest  attention. 

I  may  be  pardoned  for  alluding  to  what  appears 
to  me  to  be  a  considerable  and  desirable  growth 
of  cosmopolitanism  in  the  City  Council  of  Boston. 
Composed,  as  our  city  is,  of  districts  formerly 
separate,  but  now  united,  and  interwoven  as  the 
interests  of  each  section  are  with  those  of  every 
other,  it  is  well  that  members  of  the  Common 
Council  are  mindful  that  they  represent  the  city, 
and  not  sections  of  it ;  that  they  endeavor  to 
perform  their  duties  in  a  manner  consonant  with 
a  comprehensive  business  policy,  and  not  deranged 
by  personal  preferences,  or  merely  local  consider- 
ation. 


12  PRESIDENT    PKATT'S    ADDRESS. 

Gentlemen,  for  the  honor  which  you  have  con- 
ferred in  this  election,  I  thank  you  sincerely  for 
so  much  of  it  as  is  personal,  and  I  accept,  with 
somewhat  of  genuine  diffidence  and  consciousness 
of  inability,  so  much  of  it  as  pertains  imperson- 
ally to  the  office.  Tt  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to 
me,  that,  in  my  nomination  and  election,  for  the 
second  time,  to  this  office,  there  has  been  no 
contributory  political  partisanship,  and  no  asperity 
of  personal  differences.  It  is  auspicious  for  the 
harmony  of  our  associations  for  the  coming 
year. 

In  the  responsible  matter  of  appointment  of 
committees,  I  am  able  to  say  with  truthfulness 
that  I  am  under  neither  pledge  nor  promise,  and 
that  I  have  no  personal  preferences  to  indulge. 
I  shall  endeavor  to  distribute  these  appoint- 
ments so  as  best  to  divide  the  work  for  the 
interests  of  the  city  and  its  departments,  to  the 
members  best  qualified  by  previous  experience,  by 
occupation,  or  by  otherwise  acquired  familiarity 
and  interest  in  the  subjects  to  be  considered. 

In  presiding  over  your  deliberations,  I  shall 
endeavor  to  promote  accurate,  rapid,  methodical 
despatch  of  business,  and  uniformity  and  impar- 
tiality in  observance  and  enforcement  of  the 
rules. 


PRESIDENT    PRATT'S    ADDRESS.  13 

In  the  discharge  of  my  duties  I  invite  your  confi- 
dence and  cooperation,  as  in  the  discharge  of  yours 
I  shall  be  ready  to  give  my  own  to  you,  so  far 
as  I  am  able.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to 
serve  you  as  I  ought  without  your  suggestions 
and  cordial  aid;  and  I  beg  you  to  bear  in  mind 
that  an  ounce  of  suggestion  beforehand  is  worth 
a  pound  of  censure  afterwards. 

This  is  a  time,  standing  as  we  are  upon  the 
threshold  of  arduous  duties,  for  condolence  rather 
than  for  felicitation.  Far  happier  are  they  who 
lay  down  the  armor  than  those  who  buckle  it 
on.  And  yet,  knowing  well  the  pleasant  associa- 
tions which  we  may  enjoy,  and  the  pleasures 
which  follow  and  even  accompany  worthy  accom- 
plishments, I  congratulate  you  in  advance  upon 
an  auspicious  year. 


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